Li Na qualifies for the 2011 TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships in Istanbul

A true trailblazer for tennis in China, Li Na made history in June by becoming the first Asian player to win a Grand Slam title when she defeated four Top 10 players en route to the Roland Garros title. According to CCTV, Li Na's victory over Italy's Francesca Schiavone in the Roland Garros final was watched by a record-breaking 116 million viewers. Li Na also won the Medibank International Sydney and reached the final at the Australian Open, losing in three sets to Kim Clijsters. The 29-year-old also equaled the highest world ranking ever held by an Asian woman at World No.4.